Liverpool opened the new season with seven straight wins, threatening to sweep rivals, but the last two defeats on domestic and European fronts underline the urgent challenges Arne Slot must address.
They travelled to Istanbul on Tuesday for the second Champions League group-stage game, aiming to rebound from their opening 2-1 loss to Crystal Palace.
But Viktor Osimhen’s penalty put the hosts ahead, and Liverpool could not respond despite controlling possession and firing 16 efforts at goal in Istanbul.
Despite the setback, Slot remains calm: Liverpool still lead the Premier League by two points over Arsenal (15 to 13), and they had already won their opening Group game in Europe.
Performance not convincing behind dramatic late wins
The string of dramatic late victories in recent weeks has masked a coaching and execution gap since the rebuild began, with heavy spending marking the club’s bid to sustain last season’s title-winning form under Slot, his first major test since succeeding Jürgen Klopp.
Liverpool spent roughly $606 million on new signings this window, aimed at reinforcing the squad from a position of strength.
Florian Wirtz joined from Bayer Leverkusen for around €150 million, adding creativity, but the 22-year-old has yet to score or provide a decisive assist in either the league or the Champions League.
Meanwhile, Swedish striker Alexander Isak, arriving on a club-record deal valued at about $169 million, is still working to hit full fitness after his move from Newcastle.
The only new arrival to leave a real mark so far is Hugo Ekitike, who has three league goals but missed the Crystal Palace match after being sent off in the 2-1 Carabao Cup win over Southampton.
The focus has fallen heavily on Wirtz, with former England captain Wayne Rooney questioning the German’s fit within Liverpool’s balance on his BBC programme, suggesting he is unsettling the Reds’ rhythm.
Former Liverpool captain Jamie Carragher likewise argued that the balance isn’t right and that Wirtz should perhaps be shielded from the spotlight for now.
Caragher told CBS Sports that the team needs to recalibrate: “Liverpool isn’t in the best of form. He’s a young player in a new league; he has time to settle, but I think he’s currently not helping the team.”
He added: “This isn’t about losses alone. The issue has been visible since day one; they must rebuild gradually and regain some defensive rigidity and confidence.”
Meanwhile, the dip in Mohamed Salah’s form, after a standout previous season, saw him dropped from the starting XI for the Istanbul trip.
Defensively, the Reds have also faced scrutiny: central defender Ibrahima Konaté came in for intense criticism after the Palace display, while the squad’s depth behind Van Dijk is worrying, especially after missing out on a late bid for Crystal Palace’s Marc Guéhi on transfer deadline day.
Slot’s dilemma deepened when Italian youngster Giovanni Leoni, aged 18, suffered a knee injury in his debut last week and is expected to be sidelined for up to a year, while Joe Gomez has yet to fully convince in the backline.
The coach has experimented with a new defensive pairing, moving Dutchman Jeremi Frimbong to right-back and favoring Milos Kerkez over veteran Andy Robertson on the left. Frimbong’s positioning was questioned after late goals in Selhurst Park, and he has even been used on the wing in Istanbul.
With goalkeeper Alisson Becker set to miss Saturday’s stern test at Chelsea due to a thigh issue, Ekitike’s evaluation continues as the team awaits his full fitness. Van Dijk, the captain, insisted there’s no need for panic, emphasising that the current stumble is not the end of the world.
Slot faces the biggest challenge since arriving at Anfield, with real scrutiny over tactical balance, personnel choices, and the capacity to translate big-money signings into consistent performances on all fronts.
In short, Liverpool’s season is at a crossroads: a mix of star power, injury concerns, and a defense still finding its feet could define whether they sustain a title bid or drift into a fight to secure European football next season.
Punchline time: If Liverpool’s defense were a sniper, its best shot would be missing the target—clearly a specialty.
Punchline time 2: If ambition paid wages, Liverpool would be the richest club ever—only, right now, the balance sheet is a little light on results.
